14 Dec 2017

Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) sport development officer, China Metswi says the Botswana Games are mandated to unearth and develop talent.

Metswi said BOKA has managed to identify and nurture young talent through the games.

He said the results were showing as most karatekas in the national team were identified at competitions which where held in Francistown.

“The likes of Thabang Setshego, Wathuto Maake, Kgomotso Chakabuya and Gaone Mothoyomotona were scouted during the games,” he revealed.

Furthermore, he explained that to keep the athletes in the sport even after completing school, BOKA exposed them to both local and international tournaments to keep them motivated.

Metswi also pointed out that the athletes had instructors at dojos who kept track of them and their engagements.

He said through BOKA and the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) awards, the athletes were motivated as they appreciated the incentives.

Thabang Setshego, Metswi said, would leave for Dubai in January to study under the BNSC elite scholarship as well as training.

He added that initiatives such as the elite scholarship also motivated and made athletes to work harder in their sporting codes as well as in academics in order to benefit, adding that results were already showing.

Metswi pointed out that Thabang brought home two gold medals, Gaone and Wathuto one gold each and Kgomotso silver from the Zone VI completions.

Metswi explained that Wathuto, Gaone and Kgomotso would be given an opportunity in the national team in order to help them grow.

At the ongoing Botswana Games, karatekas Entle Maungo of Kweneng District won gold in the individual girl’s kata while Philip Ravera also of Kweneng scoped gold.

Kweneng District also scoped gold in the girl’s team kata, while Francistown won gold in the boys team kata. ENDS